264 Linnean Society. [Nov. 4, 



viously acquainted with many parts of its structure. It forms, in 

 conjunction with Ambrosinia spiralis, retrospiralis and unilocularis 

 of Roxburgh, a genus of Aroidea, for which Mr. Griffith regrets his 

 inability to adopt the highly appropriate name of Myrioblastus pro- 

 posed by Dr. Wallich, inasmuch as M. Fischer had previously pro- 

 posed the generic name of Cryptocoryne for the Ambr. ciliata and 

 spiralis of Roxburgh, together with Caladium ovatum. Vent., in which 

 latter, however, the structure of the fruit, as described by Rheede, 

 appears to be somewhat different. 



The following are the amended characters of the genus, proposed 

 by Mr. Griffith : — 



Ckvptocorvne, Fisch. in Schotl and Endl. Mel. Bot, fasc. 1. p. 6. 



Spaiha tubo brevi ad apicem septo obliquo incompleto sem'partit3 ; limbo 

 eloiigato. Spudix basin versus ovaviis cincta, medio filiformis nuda, 

 supra antherifera, apice conico nudo calloso spathse septo pilei instar 

 tecto. ^«/Aer«biIociilares, transveisim dehiscentes. GlandidcB nwWss. 

 Ovaria 5 — 7, coalita ; sfyli nulli ; stigmata 5 — 7, obliqua. Fructus nu- 

 dus, 5 — 7-loculai-is (in imica specie 1-locularis) ; dehiscentia septicicla. 

 Semina indefinita, adscendentia; testa cellulosa, tenuissimfi. Albuinen 

 nullum. Plnmida polypliylla, liilo subopposita. 



Obs. Character ex Crypt, ciliaid omnino excerptus. 



Crypt, ciliata, foliis oblongo-lanceolatis, spathse limbo tubuloso-convoluto 

 apice dilatato oblongo-lauceolato ciliato. 



Crypt, ciliata, Fiseh. I. c. 



Ambrosinia ciliata, Roxb. Coram. PI. t. 262. Fl. Indica, iii. p. 491. 



Hah. ad ripas limosas flumiiiis Hooghly sestubus alternis fere omnind 

 submersa. Floret fructusque fert per totum fere annum. 



After a detailed description of the plant, and an indication of the 

 errors into which Roxburgh and those who have followed him had 

 fallen with reference to it, Mr. Griffith proceeds to trace the more 

 remarkable anomalies from their origin through their various stages 

 of development, with the view of reducing them to the ordinary 

 type. 



The anthers, he states, may from a very early period be compared 

 to two cups joined together by their contiguous margins, the wide 

 and open mouth which they present in their mature state being ori- 

 ginally clo! ctl by an extremely fine membrane, which also lines the 

 cavity of the cup, in the interior of which the pollen is formed. As 

 the anther enlarges this membrane assumes the form of a gradually 

 lengthening cone, which at length becomes subulate and perforated 

 at the apex. But this opening appears to be insufficient for the 

 escape of the grains of pollen, and the membrane finally separates 



I 



